The rumors are true. Samsung has announced that they are permanently discontinuing the Galaxy Note series. For many, the news does not come as a surprise since the company hasn’t released any new Galaxy Note since the last Galaxy Note 20 series in August 2020. Samsung even stopped the production of the Note 20 series in 2021. So, why Samsung suddenly stopped its flagship phone after years of success? Let’s explore it in this article and also see whether S23 seems the ideal replacement for Galaxy Note. And if you want to learn more about mobile apps and software setup, check Thoughtsoncloud.
The Rise of Galaxy Note
Samsung Galaxy Note debuted in October 2011 and started the trend of big phones. Since 2011, Samsung has kept releasing the new series of Galaxy Note with bigger screens, more functional S Pen, and plenty of other customized features. The Galaxy Note series even once faced huge criticism due to design errors in Note 7 (released in 2016), which caused Samsung to recall 2.5 million phones due to complaints of exploding batteries and overheating. Despite that, Samsung released Note 8 series in 2017 and kept launching new Note models until 2020.
Why Samsung has Discontinued Galaxy Note Series
The unique element of Galaxy Note was its big screen, S Pen stylus, and high-end hardware. But almost all the emerging smartphones also started coming up with similar big displays and features. So, the interest of users in Note started to decrease. It was even reflected in the Galaxy Note sales, as the company shipped 12.7 million Galaxy Note devices in 2019, which reduced to 9.7 million units in 2020.
Samsung decided against launching Galaxy Note 21 in 2021 due to the shortage of semiconductors. Afterward, a report by ET News also revealed that the company might suspend the production of the Note 20 series by the end of 2021. The company only assembled 3.2 million units of Note 20 in 2021, which was also significantly less than 9.7 million in 2020. Finally, Roh Tae-moon, Samsung smartphone chief, confirmed at the Mobile World Congress 2022 that Samsung has permanently discontinued its Galaxy Note series.
Is S23 the New Galaxy Note?
Samsung Galaxy S23 is set to release on February 2023. So, the question is whether S23 will be the new Galaxy Note. The answer is very well addressed by looking at the Galaxy S22 series, especially the S22 Ultra.
Samsung launched the Galaxy S22 series on February 9, 2022. S22 Ultra is the top-end model in the series, which resembles a lot with Note 20 Ultra. For example, it provides rounded sides similar to Note 20. From the height and width perspective, Galaxy Note 20 Ultra size is 163.3 x 77.9 mm, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra size is 164.8 x 77.2mm. So, there is not much difference in terms of size.
S22 Ultra has a dedicated S Pen slot with 70% lower latency than S Pen shipped with Note 20. The display of the S22 Ultra is 3x times more responsive to S Pen. In addition, S22 Ultra also includes all the other Note 20 features, such as Samsung Notes, AR Doodle, Smart Select, AR Doodle, etc. In short, S22 Ultra has all the capabilities we see in Note 20 and even more.
Galaxy S23 is set to release in the next few days and promises more enhancements than S22. So, if S22 Ultra was fulfilling all the needs of Note 20, we can expect S23 Ultra to offer more improved and new features. Therefore, we can say clearly and loudly that S23 (especially the S23 Ultra) is the new Galaxy Note.
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Samsung Looking Future in Foldables
Other than the decrease in users’ interest and the same big-size alternative models, another reason behind the end of Galaxy Note is Samsung’s emphasis on foldable phones. The company believes that its Galaxy Z Flip and Fold are the future because smartphone users need some new changes and are getting tried with the same minor changes in the specs of existing smartphones.
The interest of consumers and the sales of Galaxy foldables are gradually increasing with every passing year. The Korean tech giant shipped around 10 million foldable phones in 2021, which is more than Note phones shipped in 2020. In addition, Samsung has also made S Pen compatible with its Z Fold models. S Pen is also supported by Samsung’s flagship tablets, such as Tab S8, Tab S8+, and Tab S8 Ultra.
Besides increasing consumer interest, the high price of foldable phones also helps Samsung generate more revenue. So, although Samsung has ended its flagship Galaxy Notes series, it is becoming even strong in the market with foldable phones.
Wrapping Up
Samsung Galaxy Note had brilliant, successful years when it was considered the big and powerful phone no competitor offered. Its dedicated slot for S Pen lifted the game very high and resulted in millions of sales from 2011 to 2021. However, the Korean tech giant is very smart and smelled the downfall of Galaxy Note before it could become a problem.
Samsung’s move to foldable phones and S22 Ultra with a dedicated S-Pen slot have further cleared the company’s priorities. Therefore, the permanent end of the Galaxy Note series is not going to cause any harm to Samsung but will even drive more revenue with the sales of foldable flagships, which is the market Apple still has to explore.